Tuesday, January 6, 2009

There are certain actions that just aren't appropriate around holidays. Call it ancient custom, arbitrary tradition, or common decency. You don't break up with someone around Valentine's Day. And for gossake you don't fire someone on Christmas.

Instead, you wait a week or two for the candy canes to digest, the lights to come down, and those damn Christmas carols to disappear from stores and the radio. THEN send 'em packin'. At least that's the case with Shaun Livingston, former great hope and high school phenom, and Dee Brown, now former Phoenix Sun and former winner of the "At Least He's Not Goran Dragic" back-up point guard sweepstakes. While Dee Brown's sudden departure is more of an unfortunate footnote, today is certainly a day in which the NBA world nurses the collective soft spot in its heart for Livingston.

You know about his promise. You know about the injury. And you know that even if he does make a full-fledged NBA return, it's likely that he'll never be the same player again. It's one thing for a player's career to be significantly altered because of some boneheaded mistake or shady judgment. Still, I'll save the obituary for Livingston's career for a more appropriate time (like, umm, when it's actually over). Like it or not (like it, you heartless bastard), I think Shaun has a legitimate place in this league. He isn't ready now, and no one expected him to be. So for now, let's shake our heads at each other and say "What a shame...", wait it out, and anxiously look to the day when everyone's favorite tall point guard that may have never panned out all that well anyway will make his real comeback to the lig. You go, Shaun.

EDIT: Apparently that real comeback is starting right about...now. Maybe. Bright Side of the Sun is reporting that the Suns, recent dispatchers of Dee Brown that they are, may soon be courting one Mr. Livingston. Stay frosty.